


the ocean returns to the sea

by orphan_account



Category: Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Character Death, Fantasy, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, Immortality, Inspired by Music, Islands, Metaphors, Mythology References, Ocean, again kind of, also aoi has a crush but it's not enough to get this out of the gen category i'm sorry, asahina aoi-centric, deadass, i'm not sure what happened, inspired by song of the sea, inspired by wind waker, kind of, kind of but not really, the opposite of a fear of drowning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:21:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25905784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Even after so many years of coming down to this same little stretch of beach, Aoi still felt her breath become swept away in the wind. The brown rocks and bleak sea may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, but to Aoi, this treacherous strip of land was her favourite place to be. The frothing waves clashed aggressively against the limestone, spraying the air with saltwater and centring her mind on where she felt she was always meant to be. The call of the sea was strong that day.or: i channel my wind waker/song of the sea brain rot into aoi asahina for some reason
Relationships: Asahina Aoi/Ogami Sakura, kind of - Relationship
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	the ocean returns to the sea

**Author's Note:**

> uhgdkdfhgh hi!! welcome to this... thing... that i decided to write for some godforsaken reason  
> i deadass got inspired to write this while playing wind waker,,, so epic 😁👍  
> ((actually it went more like wind waker>wanting to go to the ocean again>looking at pictures of peggy's cove in nova scotia>watching song of the sea>this monster of a fic))  
> either way, enjoy...?
> 
> TITLE SONG: "Resolve!" by Devin Townsend.

Aoi had been swimming for as long as she could recall. The water had become her second home, and every stroke of her arms or splash of the current brought her immense comfort. It was like an old friend, in a way; the frigidity of lakes in the summer and the lukewarm indoor pools in the winter were a staple in her life.

Still, nothing could compare to the chilling breeze and the smell of brine that the ocean’s edge had to offer.

For generations, her family kept the lighthouse on the edge of a tiny maritime island, and although that tradition was long gone with the retrofitted light bulbs and upgraded weather resistance of the old building, her parents still dragged her and her brother out to the place every spring break. It was a reprieve from the harsh realities she had to face back in Tokyo, and for that, she was eternally grateful. No matter how much she and Yuta resented the lack of WiFi or any cell service, she still looked forward to the trip each year. This year was no different.

Still, there was one thing Aoi never fully understood about the place. The sea was intimidating from afar, and whenever she heard about the terrifying creatures lurking in its depths she would promise herself to never go near the ocean ever again, and yet… Whenever she came to the old lighthouse, the sea seemed to call to her. It was a constant, droning, desperate song that pulled her in closer and closer. And so, as Aoi traced her way down brackish streams that spilled out to the ocean, she had to avoid setting foot in the water lest she become lost in the foam.

Often, she’d find herself jolted out of a waking dream as Yuta grabbed her shoulder, voice soft and words even softer. It was something he’d grown used to stumbling upon over the years, and so as she remained transfixed on a distant point on the endless horizon, he’d take her hand in his own and guide her away from the weathered limestone on the water’s edge. Aoi was drawn to the sea like a woman possessed; even in her dreams, the choppy waves would lap at her body until she was no longer distinguishable from the frothing whitewater. And still, despite herself, she would wake up not with a scream but with a gentle smile.

It wasn’t usually a bad thing, inconveniences aside, but on occasion, a near-disaster would crop up that made Aoi fear and resent herself. There were times when she’d jolt awake in a tub full of slimy, salty water, and when she gasped out in shock water would shoot from her lungs; she’d drain the water after a moment of panic, and then spend the rest of the night sitting in the inky blackness of her bathroom for hours picking seaweed and old barnacles from her sopping wet hair.

Other times, she’d inexplicably come to miles away from her home, water lapping at her numb feet as she shivered with every breeze. She’d be forced to curl into a small ball, tucking her feet under her legs and her hands in her armpits as she watched the old lighthouse in the far distance, its beacon spinning in place. The light was never powerful enough to reach her, though, and so the stars and the moon were her only company in those lonely hours before dawn.

Still, the lighthouse was one of Aoi’s favourite places in the world. Every now and then, she considered bringing along one of her classmates to her sanctuary, but each time she quickly decided against it; this was too personal for even her closest of friends. This was something that would have to stay between Aoi and her family, and no one else. Besides, if anyone ever saw her at her most vulnerable, being enticed by the ocean’s call… She didn’t know what they’d think of her, nor did she ever want to.

Yes, this was Aoi’s sanctuary.

* * *

The day that everything changed was a day just like any other. She woke up at seven in the morning, feeling refreshed after a night of blissful sleep. True, it had been plagued with dreams of losing herself in the sea, but those dreams always brought her more energy rather than draining her like night terrors. The dim white light of the sun shone through her window as she lay in bed, taking in the fresh air of the early morning; the smell of salt was ever-present in the air, invigorating her. She looked outside and sighed; the sky was overcast, thin cloud cover making the day look bleak. She didn’t know it yet, but she would never peer from this window ever again.

With a quiet yawn, Aoi pulled back her blankets and slipped her feet into her slippers, running a hand through her stubborn bedhead. Then, after getting ready for the day, she left the house with a call of,

“I’ll be back soon!”

There was no need to explain where she’d be; her family already knew that she spent all her time walking along the rocks on the shore, slick from water and crusted with salt. Aoi was always wherever the ocean was nearest— at least while she was here.

The rear of her family’s cabin was small, backing up to the edge of a cliff, but a small freshwater stream trickled through it, curving around to the front and eventually leading down a safer path to the water. It was this stream that Aoi always chose to follow, for fear that going off the cliff could result in some broken bones, or worse. And so, as the gulls screeched distantly above her, she trailed the edge of the brook until she made it to the sea.

Even after so many years of coming down to this same little stretch of beach, Aoi still felt her breath become swept away in the wind. The brown rocks and bleak sea may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, but to Aoi, this treacherous strip of land was her favourite place to be. The frothing waves clashed aggressively against the limestone, spraying the air with saltwater and centring her mind on where she felt she was always meant to be. The call of the sea was strong that day.

In truth, Aoi was a little afraid of how strong it was; usually, it was more like a constant undercurrent in her mind, difficult to resist but still feasible to ignore. This time, though, it was a siren’s call crawling deep under her skin, setting her body on fire with her need to dive into the water and lose her entire being. Aoi shivered, but not from the cold. Then, little by little, she slowly edged herself closer to the slick rocks, careful to not lose control and run to the water.

The ocean that met the rocks wasn’t shallow, by any means, but it wasn’t necessarily deep, either; the choppy water made it difficult to gauge its depth. All Aoi knew was that there was a kelp forest anywhere from three hundred meters to a kilometre away from the shore and that it was dangerous to be as close as she was. The waves could easily overtake her and sweep her far away, but she ignored all that in favour of staring through the mist and listening over the din of the ocean.

_Aoi._

Something was different about the ocean’s call this time, Aoi noticed. It felt almost… tangible, in a way, and if she strained her ears hard enough she swore she could pick up a voice on the wind, soft and deep and gravelly. It sounded like… An old friend. Not like any old friend she knew, but it was still familiar, droning on and speaking words she didn’t know in a language she’d long forgotten.

_Aoi_.

There was a thick mist just beyond the water’s edge that prevented Aoi from seeing much farther than beyond where her arm could reach, and so she sighed, craning her neck to try and get a better view. It was to no avail; the white mist blinded her, leaving her stumped at the water’s edge. Something from just beyond was gently beckoning her to step into the mist with it, but Aoi knew she couldn’t do that just yet. No, not yet…

_Aoi._

She raised an arm, trying in vain to fan away some of the mist that obscured her vision, but was instead startled into a scream when a dark and muscular hand jutted out of the cloud to grasp her own. The cover parted slightly, allowing her to follow a muscular arm back to an ethereal being whose torso emerged from the white mist. She stared, shocked, and white eyes gazed deeply back into her own. A shock of electricity tingled up and down Aoi’s spine as they held eye contact with each other, completely silent.

_“Aoi.”_

The being’s lips moved, Aoi’s name spilling off her tongue in a way that it had never been pronounced before. Phonetically, it was the same, but it still managed to sound like a completely different word. The sudden call from the being caused Aoi to break eye contact, and she finally gazed upon the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen— and the most beautiful woman she’d ever see.

Where Aoi’s experience with swimming had built her frame to be lean, the woman’s own was heavily muscled, with a deep complexion and several scars running down both her face and her right bicep; that same arm was attached to the hand which held Aoi’s. The woman’s silver hair seemed to float around her, making her look even more beyond human than she already did.

Aoi’s breath caught in her chest; she couldn’t quite comprehend what was happening— couldn’t wrap her mind around it all— but… she was enamoured all the same. Try as she might, she couldn’t bring herself to wrench her gaze away. Her eyes were wide, and her heart pounded in her chest, and she felt a flurry of emotions— _confusion yearning hope want_ — rush into her chest, making her ears warm and causing a flush of colour to crop up on her cheeks. What… was this?

_“Come back to us, Aoi.”_

The being spoke again, this time inviting her to the waves. Did she even need to ask? All Aoi wanted to do was spill over into the sea the same way a brackish stream might; she wanted to return there— _return?_ — with her entire being. Why wasn’t she already one with the frothing waves, sweeping up the detritus from the rocky cliffs and the gritty pebble beaches of the island?

She distantly felt a change in the wind, felt as her hair fluttered in front of her face and drifted along the salty breeze, but she couldn’t focus on that. The woman continued to stare back, eyes intense but not _judging_ , and Aoi knew then that the choice was completely her own. If she felt no need to return, then she could simply pull her hand out of the gentle grasp of the ethereal creature and turn back to the shore, and there would be no consequences. But still…

Aoi gulped, and the cacophonous music of the tide swelled as the water crashed around her, spraying saline mist about in the air. This was… A difficult choice to make, no matter how natural it seemed at first. With a deep breath, she turned, looking back at her family’s lighthouse. There, in the house beside it, resided the only person she’d ever truly known. Yuta, with the innocent gleam in his eyes and the admiring looks he’d shoot at her whenever he thought she wasn’t looking; the way he’d lead her away from the turbulence of the sea, and the way he’d reassuringly pat her back whenever she cried over something that was missing but that she just couldn’t _remember_ —

And then, there was Tokyo. Despite her love for the lighthouse, the island, and the sea its babbling rivers spilled out to, she knew that her entire life was in Tokyo. She had her classmates, her friends… Her legacy was in Tokyo. What she wanted aside, she had a future in Tokyo. She had… Everything she’d ever wanted, all right in front of her. She was the Ultimate Swimmer at Hope’s Peak Academy— she was already guaranteed success just from that! She was a contender for the Olympics! What more could Aoi ever want?

A single glance at the briny deep told a story that her own words could not. Her chest twisted, her gut wrenched, and she felt her hand clench in the being’s as she tried not to cry. She wanted this _so bad_ , like it was all that she ever needed, but still couldn’t let go of… Something.

The woman sighed suddenly, and Aoi turned, alarmed. She didn’t look disappointed— or, at least, not it Aoi— but she certainly seemed regretful. As Aoi continued to stare, the mist began to dissipate and the woman moved forward, dropping her hand. The being stopped in front of her, and her mouth felt dry as she looked up at the statuesque woman— no, _goddess_.

“I see that you’re conflicted, Aoi. That was to be expected; this decision is one of the hardest for a child of the sea to make,” she spoke, her voice gently washing over Aoi like, well, _waves_ , “You can feel the pull, you can hear the ocean calling desperately, and no matter how you wish to dissolve and melt into the waters, there’s too much on land for you to simply abandon on a whim. I understand, Aoi.”

Aoi gaped at the woman, left hand moving to massage her right wrist before her chest. She huffed in near-disbelief that bordered on hysteria, a smile creeping on the edges of her lips as her brow knitted together.

“What… the hell is this? Who…” she asked, but gave up on speaking as she was overwhelmed by the mess of emotion that pulled on her chest like a vortex. The woman smiled indulgently, crossing her arms.

“I… am Sakura. I’m not sure that I have the words to fully enlighten you on what’s surely been happening to you for your entire life, but,” she paused, pondering what to say next, “But I’m sure that if you accept what’s happening as the truth, you’ll already know all there is to know. You’re a child of the sea, Aoi, as am I— this comes to us naturally, and is all we know.”

The woman— Sakura— placed a hand on Aoi’s shoulder, and she felt reassured. Yeah, Aoi thought, she knew what this was. She always, had, just a little, but she’d been in denial for just as long. All these years, every little thing she’d done was just an attempt to bring herself closer to the water, to the _sea_ — but it was never the same. There had always been a void in her chest, deep as the ocean was wide, whenever she sped through water reeking of chlorine. There had always been a rift between her and everyone else... every _thing_ else. She always knew too much about the sea, but too little about everything else. She knew she was… a _little_ odd, but this?

Finally, Aoi glanced back up at Sakura. Now that she had a clearer view of the ocean’s child, she could see little details that had gone unnoticed before. Woven through Sakura’s hair were strands of red algae and yellow kelp, and there were barnacles clinging to her drenched… Was that a _seifuku_? Either way, she was beautiful.

“I think… No, I _know_ I want to come with you,” Aoi said determinedly, but her wobbly smile betrayed her emotions, “Just… Will I be able to say goodbye?”

Sakura froze, shoulders tense and fists clenched. Aoi’s heart sank to rest in the pit of her stomach.

“I’m not sure. Perhaps it would be tempting, but… Your family may not understand your intentions,” she murmured, looking down, “They are good people, Aoi, and they would worry. I—”

“They’d worry regardless, right? I’d just— I’d disappear out of nowhere, without a word, and never come back, right?” Aoi cut Sakura off, locking her gaze, “So even if I do nothing, they’d still worry. Maybe saying goodbye would give them closure, right?”

Sakura drew in a quick breath, and for a moment she seemed lost in thought— an old memory, perhaps, from a time before the sea. Then, ever-so-slightly, she nodded in assent.

“Very well. You’re right, Aoi. Just… be careful, regardless,” she told her gently, “And don’t let them follow after you.”

Aoi smiled in thanks, and then quickly sprinted along the side of that same old stream that she’d always followed. Her heart was pounding in her chest, turbulent feelings crashing in her ribcage and making her fingertips tingle. This… was really happening.

A deep melancholy set in once she saw Yuta, her little brother— her _little brother_ who loved her so much and who she loved so much— waiting for her at the front door. His gaze quickly shot up to meet Aoi’s, and instead of smiling like he usually did, he just seemed… defeated. His eyes were watery from unshed tears, and they held a vulnerable uncertainty to them that she rarely saw from him.

“So is this it, then?” he asked when she stopped in front of him, catching her breath, “This is really happening.”

It wasn’t a question, but Aoi nodded anyway. Part of her wondered how he knew, but… Honestly, the rest of her wasn’t surprised.

“I’m gonna miss you Aoi. I’m really, really gonna miss you,” Yuta said, and Aoi felt her heart break clean in two, “I know that I can’t stop you or anything, but I wish things could be different.”

With a quiet sob, Aoi pulled Yuta in close and hugged him for the last time _ever_. This was the last time she’d ever get to spend time with Yuta, that she would ever be able to speak to him… And then his life would move on, and hers wouldn’t. He’d be washed away with time while she’d recede back into the sea.

“I’ll miss you too, Yuta. So much,” she whispered as she ran a hand through his hair, combing out tiny knots, “Just… don’t forget about me, yeah? And I won’t forget about you. I love you too much to do that, anyway.”

Yuta nodded, and though she couldn’t see it, she could feel his head move from where it was pressed against her shoulder. They stayed like that for a long time, crying and hugging and not wanting to let go.

“I love you too.”

* * *

Saying goodbye was one of the hardest things Aoi had ever done. Still, as she stood with Sakura again, staring at a cresting wave in the high tide, she knew she’d made the right choice. Something was burning in her chest, turning her lips up in a smile without her knowledge. She was faintly aware of the life she was quite literally leaving in her wake, but she didn’t dare look back. If she turned her gaze away from the expanse of water in front of her— from its churning and its alluring din— she wouldn’t be able to go through with this.

“Aoi. If you’re not ready, you don’t have to do this. The ocean has waited this long already— it can wait longer,” Sakura told her, gravelly voice barely audible over the screeching of the gulls and the melody of the waves.

“Nah, I’ll be fine,” Aoi said simply in response, “I’m not sure why, but I’m ready.”

Truly, she was. As she took one last gulping breath of salty air, she gave the overcast sky a long glance. Rays of sun were beaming through the cracks in the clouds, shooting down pillars of light that Aoi wanted to reach out and touch. Then she looked down, eyes sweeping over what little she could make out on the ocean floor between waves. It didn’t really matter, anyway; the sea was still crying out for her, invisible hands reaching to pull her in. She could feel it, now— that tug on her chest that threatened to drag her into the briny deep. Usually, she’d resist it to the best of her abilities, standing and staring at the water’s edge as the hours slipped by.

This time, though, she allowed it to fully envelop her. With Sakura at her side, Aoi took one step, and then another, and another. Deeper and deeper she went, and then she dissolved into the waves as the tide washed her away.

**Author's Note:**

> so!! hopefully you guys enjoyed this uhhgkjjds fuckig. leave a kudos if you want to, comment if you'd like, but more importantly i hope you have a nice day/night! thanks for sticking through this thing til the end, and i love u all muah muah 💏👩❤️💋👩


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